The Board has determined that the veteran's cancer, which originated in his tonsils and then spread to the larynx before metastasizing elsewhere, is service-connected due to exposure to Agent Orange.
The deciding factor: The Board concluded that the cancer originated within the pharynx (tonsil) and then infiltrated into adjacent areas including the larynx, which was considered a 'directly connected' area for purposes of determining whether it met the definition of metastasis as defined by VAOGCPREC 18-97.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic squamous cell cancer of the head and neck
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2005
- Citation
- 0529676
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0529676.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no medical evidence linking his cancer to Agent Orange exposure or to larynx cancer.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Granted
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
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